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GIFT  OF 


Cornell  University 


Ezra  Cornell 


His  Nature,  Work  and  Character 


Address  of  Gen'l  Daniel  Biitterfield,  delivered  on  Founder's 
Day — the  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  the  Founder  of 
Cornell  University — in  the  Armory  on  the  Campus, 
January  nth,  .1898. 


Ithaca,   N.   Y. 


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CORlSrELL    XJNIV^EHSITY 


ITHACA,  N.  Y. 


FOTJNDEE'S  MY,  JANUAEY  11,  1898 


ADDRESS   OF 

GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 


A  large  number  of  Oornellians  and 
townspeople  assembled  in  the  Armory 
on  Tuesday  to  hear  Gen.  Daniel  But- 
terfleld.  famous  soldier,  successful  busi- 
ness man  and  erstwhile  friend  of  Ezra 
Cornell,  deliver  an  address  on  the  foun- 
der of  the  University. 

At  10  o'clock  promptly  the  program 
was  begun  by  the  Oadet  Band,  which 
rendered  some  musicial  selections 
in  an  unusually  happy  style. 
President  Schurman  introduced  the 
speaker,  remarking  in  graceful  terms 
upon  his  worth  and  position,  and  allud- 
ing to  the  friendship  which  had  existed 
between  the  General  and  the  founder  of 
Cornell. 

The  temporary  stage  which  had  been 
erected  in  front  of  the  gymnasium  en- 
trance was  almost  unadorned,  and  unoc- 
cupied save  for  the  president  and  the 
veteran  warrior.  The  effect  was  one  of 
impressive  and  dignified  simplicity. 

General  Butterfield  spoke  about  an 
hour  as  follows : 

Fifty  years  and  more  ago  must  seem 
to  some  of  you  a  very,  very  long  time. 


It  does  to  me,  but  there  are  some 
vivid  personal  recollections  of  it  not 
out  of  place  here  today.  We  all  pass, 
but  we,  who  are  in  the  white  winter  of 
our  age,  take  special  delight  in  leaving 
with  our  youthful  successors  the  story  of 
those  experiences  which  have  deeply 
stirred  our  feelings  and  influenced  our 

lives. 

Between  myself  and  the  man,  Ezra 
Cornell,  who  built  houses  with  his  own 
hands,  and  plodded  on  foot  selling 
ploughs,  and  yet  was  able  out  of  his  pro- 
lific brain  to  project  and  out  of  his  sur- 
plus wealth  to  endow,  and  out  of  his  pa- 
tient industry  and  sublime  courage  to 
foster  and  defend  this  great  and  grow- 
ing institution,  there  was  one  point  of 
contact  in  my  youth,  and  a  strong  bond 
of  ancestral  association,  that  1  cherish 
with  delight  and  that  I  am  moved  to  im- 
part to  you  on  this  glad  anniversary.  A 
boy,  coming  home  at  vacation  from  the 
first  sophomore  term  in  the  year,  I  was 
asked  by  my  father  what  I  was  learning 
in  Union  College  answering  by  a  gen- 
eral description  of  the  course  of  studies 
pursued   an   enquiry   was   then   made 


258138 


_♦  ^•^  _»_•••  » 


respecting  the  experiments  in  chemistry 
and  the  natural  sciences  and  what,  if 
anything,  had  been  learned  of  the  Mag- 
netic Telegraph.  These  latter  questions 
were  asked  by  a  friend  of  my  father's 
present,  a  stranger  to  me,  who  had  been 
very  much  interested  as  an  eager  listen- 
er, in  the  examination  of  my  father 
as  to  the  progress  made,  the  studies, 
etc.  The  person  who  asked  this 
question  was  a  tall,  straight  man, 
then  about  thirty-nine  years  of  age.  He 
had  an  attractive  and  impressive  face  as 
he  gazed  intently  and  inquiringly  into 
mine,  with  his  clear  blue  eyes  that 
seemed  of  themselves  without  words  to 
ask  pleasantly  but  strongly,  "Now  tell 
as  all  about  it;"  an  aquiline  nose,  a 
handsome  and  strong  feature  of  his  face, 
with  a  formation  of  the  lower  jaw  and 
lips  in  the  closing  of  a  mouth  that  a  life's 
experience  has  since  taught  me  were  in- 
dications of  force  of  will,  determination 
and  strength  of  character — which  I  was 
too  young  then  to  comprehend,  but 
which  was  photographed  on  my  mind  so 
clearly  that  were  I  skilled  as  an  artist  or 
painter,  I  could  today  reproduce  it.  He 
sat  opposite  me  with  his  elbows  on  the 
table  and  his  chin  between  and  support- 
ed by  his  hands.  Had  not  the  very 
kindly  expression  of  his  face  been  so  as- 
suring in  its  interest  and  sympathy,  it 
would  have  been  embarrassing. 
As  it  was  it  encouraged  me. 

THE  MORSE  TELEGRAPH. 

I  gave  a  description  of  the  Morse  tele- 
graph instrument  of  the  first  construc- 
tion with  its  soft  iron  horse  shoe  magnet 
wound  with  wire  to  surround  it  with  the 
current  from  the  battery — its  lever  and 
pointed  steel  nipple  or  pen  at  one  end, 
and  bar  of  metal  at  the  other  end,  the 
action  of  the  current  from  the  battery  as 
the  key  was  closed,  causing  the  bar  of 
metal  to  be  drawn  upon  the  magnet  and 
the  pen  end  to  be  moved  up  against  a 


ribbon  or  strip  of  paper  between  rollers 
moved  by  clock-work  making  a  mark 
on  the  paper  as  long  as  the 
current  was  kept  perfect  and  re- 
leasing the  bar  of  metal  when  the  cur- 
rent was  broken  stopping  the  pen  mark  so 
that  marks  of  any  desired  length  or  sim- 
ple dots  were  made  upon  the  strip  of 
paper,  which  marks  or  dots  made  the 
alphabet  identical  with  that  in  use  today 
by  telegraphic  operators — only  now  read 
by  sound  without  the  paper  strip,  and 
without  the  pen.  The  battery  then  in 
use  was  described.  It  was  the  (jrrove 
battery  which  was  very  different  and 
more  expensive  than  anything  now  in 
use.  This  stranger  to  me  asked  if  it  was 
simple  and  easy  to  operate.— and  who 
could  operate  it. — my  reply  was  "any 
young  man  of  fair  intelligence  not  neces- 
sarily a  college  bred  man,  or  any  young 
woman  who  could  play  the  piano  or  keep 
good  time." 

A  few  other  questions  of  detail  that 
have  escaped  my  memory  now,  were  sat- 
isfactorily answered  during  this  inter- 
view. My  last  answer  about  the  young 
woman  was  the  termination  of  the  in- 
vestigation so  far  as  I  was  concerned  of 
the  value  or  benefit  of  my  college  work 
and  study.  At  its  close  and  with  the 
answer  this  stranger  brought  his  fists 
down  on  the  table  together  not  with 
great  force  bat  with  emphasis  and  said 
to  my  father,  "The  boy  has  got  it,  col- 
lege is  doing  him  good."  My  father  in- 
troduced me  then  to  this  stranger  with 
the  remark,  "My  son,  this  is  Mr.  Oornell 
and  we  are  going  to  build  a  telegraph 
line  from  New  York  to  Buffalo." 

I  have  never  forgotton  this  interview 
and  carry  with  me  now  the  clearest 
recollection  of  the  face  and  person  of 
Ezra  Oornell  as  I  wish  everyone  of  you 
young  gentlemen  could. 

I  have  never  yet  determined  whether 
the  purpose  of  this  interview  was  to  as- 
certain if  there  was  any  use  in  sendinjr 


a  boy  to  college  as  young  as  I  was  or 

whether  it  was  a  keen  and  farseeing 
move  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Oornell  to  con- 
vince my  father  that  the  working  and 
understanding  of  telegraphy  would  be  a 
very  simple  and  inexpensive  matter  and 
BO  to  get  him  strongly  interested  in  build- 
ing telegraph  lines,  as  he  did  so  become 
interested, 

A  SEED  THOUGHT. 

The  thoueht  has  occurred  to  me  since 
this  great  University  inception,  that  per- 
haps that  interview  might  have  been  one 
of  the  suggestions  that  helped  to  nourish, 
if  not  to  plant  some  seed,  the  fruition  of 
which  was  the  great  life  work  of  your 
founder.  And  if  in  any  degree  I  thus 
served  unconsciously  as  a  slight  factor 
in  the  development  of  the  superb  scheme, 
I  desire  here  and  now  to  claim  the  credit 
in  the  name  and  for  the  sake  of  my  own 
venerable  Alma  Mater,  and  its  sagacious 
president  Eliphalet  Nott. 

From  this  interview  and  the  business 
connection  that  grew  up  between  Ezra 
Oornell  and  my  father,  I  not  only  be- 
came well  acquainted  with  Ezra  Oornell 
at  thit  time,  but  also  with  his  son  who 
became  governor  of  New  York  and  who 
now  is  a  trustee  of  this  University  and 
by  whose  side  I  stood  and  learned  with 
Grin  S  Wood  and  Otis  E.  Wood  to  oper- 
ate the  telegraph  and  to  cement  a  friend- 
ship which  has  continued  unbroken, 
strong,  and  delightful  in  all 
its  phases  for  over  half  a  century.  I  be- 
lieve that  friendship  has  inspired  Presi- 
dent Schurman  to  invite  me  to  address 
you  on  this  Founder's  Day.  The  only 
drawback  to  the  pleasure  is  that  I  can- 
not probably  tell  you  much  of  the  found- 
er that  has  escaped  the  pen  of  his  filial 
biographer  and  the  graceful  tributes  of 
those  eloquent  orators  who  have  preced- 
ed me  on  like  anniversaries  in  laying 
laurels,  grateful  recollection  and  high 
appreciation  upon  the  records  for  the 
honor  of  Ezra  Oornell. 


Such  tributes  cannot  be  too  often  re- 
peated if  they  bring  home  to  you  who 
are  enjoying  the  benefits  of  his  foresight, 
his  generosity,  his  firmness  and  per- 
severance, the  example  and  work  of  his 
life  and  the  nobleness  of  his  character 
and  nature,  as  a  model  to  profit  by  in 
your  own  careers. 

Perhaps  you  are  a  student  or  a  close 
observer  of  nature ; — if  you  are  fortun- 
ately for  you  it  will  be  found  an  unfail- 
ing and  unceasing  source  of  pleasure 
and  interest  as  long  as  you  live.  You 
may  haye  seen  m  a  field  of  grain  one 
spear  that  has  grown  up  among  its  fel- 
lows and  exceeded  them  m  height  and 
bearing  to  a  marked  degree. 

In  a  forest  of  elms  or  other  kind  of 
trees  if  you  have  studied  and  watched 
carefully  from  an  elevated  position  you 
will  at  times  find  one  tree  growing  up 
above  its  fellows  and  growing  larger.  In 
a  corn  field  this  superiority  of  growth  and 
bearing  sometimes  shows  itself  and  that 
particular  corn  stalk  is  selected  as  a  speci- 
men. There  is  seldom,  if  ever,  any  rea- 
son found  in  the  culture,  of  these  differ- 
ent species  that  explains  why  nature  has 
produced  such  results,unless  these  plants 
think  and  reason  and  by  that  process 
manage  to  attract  to  themselves  from  the 
air  and  the  earth,  more  of  the  elements 
that  produce  growth  and  greatness.  So 
with  man. 

A  MANY-Sn>ED  NATURE, 

As  we  gather  here  today,  to  add 
our  praises  to  the  heartfelt  eulogies 
that  have  been  made  before,  we  cannot 
but  feel  after  the  close  study  of 
this  many-sided  man's  nature,  that  he 
like  these  instances  in  nature's  growth, 
so  overtops  the  average  mental  and 
moral  stature  that  it  is  three  men  instead 
of  one  to  whom  we  really  owe  our  grate- 
ful praise. 

First.  The  man  of  justice,  purity  and 
integrity. 


Second.  The  thoughtful  man  of  afifairs, 
keen,  far-sighted,  always  working  with 
a  purpose. 

Third.  The  man  of  strong  human  sym- 
pathies as  a  tender,  loving  husband  and 
father,  a  philanthropist  of  the  purest 
ideals. 

These  are  so  intimately  blended  in  the 
character  and  life  of  the  man  that  they 
will  necessarily  run  together  in  what  we 
haye  subsequently  to  say  about  him. 

Probably  the  greatest  characteristic  of 
Mr.  Cornell  was  the  firm- 
ness of  his  judgment  in  support  of 
an  opinion  which  he  had 
reached  after  mature  consideration.  The 
courage  and  sturdiness  with  which  he 
was  accustomed  to  support  his  own  men- 
tal conviction  was  indeed  remarkable. 
"When  once  he  had  thoroughly  consid- 
ered a  subject  or  a  proposition  and  ar- 
rived at  a  conclusion  that  a  certain  ob- 
ject could  be  accomplished  and  that  it 
was  worthy  of  th«  requisite  effort  he  was 
wholly  oblivous  to  discouragement.  Ob- 
stacles only  served  to  aronse  his  energies 
and  the  more  serious  the  difficulties  en- 
countered the  greater  was  his  determin- 
ation to  succeed. 

The  firmness  of  character  and  fertility 
of  resource  was  particularly  demonstrat- 
ed in  his  devotion  to  the  telegraph  enter- 
prise. When  Professor  Morse  had  proved 
the  scientific  success  of  the  telegraph, 
but  the  government  officials  had  decided 
that  it  could  not  be  made  a  commercial 
success,  Mr.  Oornell  boldly  ventured  his 
all  upon  his  own  opinion  to  the  contrary 
and  went  courageously  to  work  for  its 
accompl  ishment . 

For  more  than  ten  years  Mr.  Oornell 
devoted  himself  with  heroic  courage  to 
the  development  of  the  telegraph  system 
in  America.  With  subline  patience  and 
untiring  energy  he  overcame  obstacles 
which  oft  times  appeared  absolutely  im- 
I)Ossible  to  surmount,  but  true  to   the 


courage  of  his  convictions  he  was  finally 
enabled  to  triumph  over  every  difficulty 
and  at  the  age  of  fifty  he  retired  from 
the  conflicts  of  active  business  as  a  mil- 
lionaire. 

THE  BIRTH  OF  CORNELL  UNIVERSITY. 

Many  men  would  after  such  a  struggle 
and  success  have  been  dis- 
posed to  treat  themselyes  to  a 
holiday  of  luxury,  but  not 
so  with  this  earnest  minded  Quaker.  In- 
stead of  seeking  a  life  of  ease  and  enjoy- 
ment he  began  to  look  about  to  see 
where  and  how  he  could  make  himself 
and  his  fortune  useful  to  his  fellow  man. 
His  abilities  were  quickly  sought  in  the 
public  service  of  his  native  state,  during 
the  gloomy  days  of  the  great  civil  war, 
to  which  he  devoted  himself  with  char- 
acteristic earnestness. 

While  engaged  in  duties  pertaining  to 
his  official  posifion  Mr.  Cornell's  atten- 
tion was  incidentally  attracted  to  the 
necessity  for  more  adequate  provision 
for  the  development  of  the  cause  of  high- 
ter  education  in  this  stats  and  to  the  op- 
portunity of  its  accomplishment  by  a 
proper  utilization  of  the  United  States 
Land  Grant  which  bad  been  made  by 
congress  in  1863.  Realizing  that  the 
princely  offering  of  the  federal  govern- 
ment was  in  serious  danger  of  being 
frittered  away  quite  unworthily  he 
stepped  resolutely  forward  and  tendered 
to  the  state  a  personal  donation  of  $500,- 
000  for  the  endowment  of  a  great  Uni- 
versity conditioned  upon  the  appropria- 
tion to  it  of  the  proceeds  of  the  Land 
Grant  which  was  ratified  by  the  state, 
but  only  after  a  long  and  bitter  struggle 
and  after  the  imposition  of  a  unique  and 
oppressive  tax  of  $25,000,  as  a  royalty  for 
the  privilege  of  being  permitted  to  be 
generous.  The  state  was  not  perfectly 
fair  and  wise,  for  the  grant  though  good 
for  Mr.  Cornell,  and  good  for  the  village 
of  which  he  was  a  distinguished  citizen, 


was  good  most  of  all  for  the  future 
prosperity  of  the  youth  of  the 
whole  imperial  state  of  which 
Mr,  Oornell  was  an  honored  pillar  and 
Ithaca  a  brilliant  gem,  with  the  placid 
lake  set  in  the  landscape  like  a  crystal 
surrounded  by  emeralds. 

Owing  to  the  provision  of  the  federal 
law  prohibiting  any  state  from  locating 
its  land  warrants  within  the  boundaries 
of  any  other  state,  it  became  necessary 
for  states,  having  no  public  lands  within 
their  domain,  to  sell  their  land  scrip  in 
the  open  market.  For  many  years  pre- 
vious the  market  price  of  public  land 
warrants  had  been  very  steady  at  the 
normal  government  rate  of  $1  25  per 
acre.  At  this  rate  the  990,000  acres  would 
have  produced  an  endowment  fund  of 
about  one  million  and  a  quarter  of  dol- 
lars. Unfortunately,  however,  the  re- 
quirement of  sale  on  behalf  of  most  of 
the  larger  states  quickly  ran  the  current 
value  of  the  scrip  down  to  about  30  cents 
per  acre  with  the  probability  of  still 
lower  rates. 

Deploring  the  shameful  sacrifice  which 
seemed  impending  Mr.  Oornell  conceived 
the  idea  of  having  the  New  York  war- 
rants purchased  and  located  by  indi- 
viduals for  the  benefit  of  the  Oornell 
University  to  which  their  avails  had  al- 
ready been  appropriated  by  the  legisla- 
ture. In  this  view  he  earnestly  sought 
the  co-operation  of  many  rich  men.  He 
made  personal  appeals  to  nearly  one  hun- 
dred different  persons  to  unite  with  him 
to  accomplish  this  beneficent  object,  but 
he  was  unable  to  enlist  a  single  indi- 
dual.  Finally  as  the  last  resort  he 
determined  to  undertake  the  great 
task  unaided.  He  made  a  contract  with 
the  state  land  board  for  the  purchase  of 
the  scrip  and  agreed  to  locate  the  land, 
pay  the  taxes  and  all  other  expenses  and 
to  pay  over  to  Oornell  University  every 

dollar  of  the  profits  as  an  endowment 
fund. 


YEARS  OF  INCESSANT  LABOR. 

Nobody  unfamiliar  with  the  details 
and  annoyances  incident  to  the  location 
and  care  of  public  lands  can  begin  to 
appreciate  the  magnitude  of  the  under- 
taking thus  assumed  by  the  generous 
hearted  founder  in  behalf  of  the  great 
cause  he  loved  so  well.  During  the  first 
year  he  advanced  more  than  two  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  for  the  purchase  of 
the  scrip  and  the  expense  of  location. 
Before  a  single  dollar  of  profits  was 
realized  he  had  advanced  more  than  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  Eight  years 
of  incessant  labor  was  devoted  by  him  to 
this  great  work  and,  sorrowful  to  relate, 
he  was  called  to  a  higher  life  before  its 
burdens  were  relaxed.  Finally,  how- 
ever, his  great  foresight  was  most  glori- 
ously vindicated  and  Oornell  University 
has  already  realized  as  the  profits  of  that 
contract  five  or  six  million  of  dollars 
which  is  now  safely  invested  in  this  en- 
dowment fund  while  there  still  remains 
undisposed  of  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  acres  of  the  original  land 
from  which  another  million  of  dollars 
may  be  reasonably  expected. 

In  connection  with  his  foresight 
and  explanatory  of  his  choice 
of  Ithaca  as  a  home,  and 
illustrative  of  the  truth  that 
many  forces  co-operate  to  any  great  suc- 
"cess  let  me  call  your  attention  to  a  pre- 
liminary historical  fact. 

Upon  assuming  the  command  of  the 
Revolutionary  Army,  Washington  found 
himself  in  a  strange  country  and  in  most 
urgent  need  of  oflBcers  upon  whom  he 
could  rely,  who  were  familiar  with  the 
topographical  details  of  the  region  about 
New  York  and  the  Hudson  river  valley. 
Making  his  necessity  known  to  the  patri- 
otic general,  George  Olinton,  his  atten- 
tion was  directed  to  Simeon  DeWitt,  a 
youth  who  had  recently  graduated  as  a 
civil  engineer  at  one  of  the  New  Jersey 


colleges.  The  introduction  was  snccess- 
ful  and  the  young  man  was  assigned  to 
duty  upon  the  staff  of  the  commander- 
in-chief  where  he  served  with  complete 
satisfaction  until  the  close  of  the  great 
straggle  for  an  independence. 

Afterwards  General  DeWitt  was  ap- 
pointed state  engineer  and  surveyor  by 
Governor  George  Clinton  and  in  that 
position  sprved  the  state  more  than  fifty 
years.  Under  his  supervision,  counties 
west  of  the  Hudson  river  valley  were 
surveyed  and  to  him  our  people  are  in- 
debted for  the  many  classic  names  of 
towns  and  counties  in  this  beautiful 
region,  which,  judged  by  the  testimony 
of  such  names  as  Ovid,  Utica,  Syracuse, 
Homer,  Palmyra,  might  seem  to  have 
been  founded  by  Greeks  and  Romans, 
themselves,  rather  than  by  sturdy,  prac- 
tical Americans. 

Upon  visiting  the  head  of  Oayuga 
Lafce  in  1805  General  DeWitt  was 
greatly  impressed  with  its  future  im- 
portance as  the  nearest  point  of  con- 
nection between  the  waters  of  the  Great 
Lakes  and  the  Susquehanna  River.  He 
thereupon  located  at  this  place  the 
land- warrants  which  had  been  awarded 
him  for  revolutionary  services  and  deter- 
mined to  make  it  his  ultimate  home.  By 
his  influence  a  postoffice  was  soon  opened 
here  and  named  Ithaca. 

GREAT  EXPECTATIONS  OF  EARLY  ITHACA. 

Under  date  of  May  10,  1810,  General 
DeWitt  wrote  a  friend  at  Albany,  as 
follows:  "I  find  this  village  (Ithaca) 
considerably  increased  since  I  was  here 
before.  I  have  counted  thirty-eight 
dwelling  houses,  among  which  is  one 
very  large,  elegant,  three  story  house  for 
a  hotel,  and  five  of  two  stories ;  the  rest 
of  one  story — all  generally  neat  frame 
buildings.  Besides,  there  is  a  school 
house  and  buildings  for  merchant  stores, 
shops  for  carpenters,  cabinet  makers, 
blacksmiths,  coopers,  tanners,  and   we 


have  besides  shoemakers,  tailors,  two 
lawyers,  one  doctor,  watch  cleaner, 
turner,  miller,  hatter,  etc." 

Subsequently  General  DeWitt  project- 
ed a  ship  canal  from  Sodas  Bay  on  Lake 
Ontario  to  Oavuga  Lake  in  order  to  con- 
nect Ithaca  with  the  Great  Lakes.  He 
then  built  the  Oayuga  and  Susquehanna 
railroad  from  Ithaca  to  Oweso  by  means 
of  which  it  was  anticipated  that  Ithaca 
would  become  a  great  inland  city  at  the 
gateway  of  an  important  channel  of  com- 
merce between  the  northern  lakes  and 
the  Susquehanna  River  and  thence  to 
Baltimore.  What  think  you  would  De- 
Witt  say  could  he  stand  here  today  look- 
ing out  on  the  same  landscape  of  beauty 
and  find  added  the  University  with  its 
seventeen  buildings  on  the  campus, 
2,000  students,  175  professors  and  in- 
structors, its  library  of  200  000  volumes 
with  the  flourishing  fine  city  of  Ithaca 
if  not  the  great  throughfare  of  commerce 
he  thought  and  planned,  far  ahead  of 
that  in  importance  and  benefit  to  the 
human  race,  a  gateway  and  threshold  by 
passage  through  the  University  to  the 
lealms  of  education  and  cultured 
thought.     {Hearty  applause.) 

It  was  under  the  stimulus 
of  these  brilliant  expectations 
of  the  youthful  Ithaca  that  the  young 
Qaaker,  Ezra  Oorneli.  was  in  1828,  at 
the  age  of  21,  attracted  from  the  quiet  of 
his  father's  farm  in  Madison  county,  to 
cast  his  future  fortunes  in  this  locality. 
It  was  a  lucky  day  for  Ithaca ;  for  its 
commercial  advantage ;  for  its  culture ; 
to  have  this  wealth  of  art,  science  and 
literature  piled  up  at  its  doors — this  mass 
of  living,  germinating  thought  ferment- 
ing in  its  midst  and  nourishing  industry, 
agriculture,  statesmanship  for  the  young 
republic ;  for  its  beauty,  to  have  the 
grace  of  noble  architecture  added  as  a 
crown  of  glory  to  those  towering  clififs ; 
for  its  civic  pride  to  be  named  with  Ox- 
ford, Cambridge,  Bonn,  Berlin,  as  one  of 


the  neatest  educational  forces  of  the 
world  and  to  become  one  of  the  great 
magnetic  poles  to  draw  the  intellectual 
pilgrim  and  to  subtly  and  powerfully  in- 
fluence all  the  currents  of  scholarship. 
(Applause.) 

No  one  truly  mindful  of  the  part  he 
played  should  grudge  to  Ezra  Cornell  or 
his  eminent  descendants  the  honor  of 
the  name  borne  by  this  institution.  Vil- 
lage and  state  and  nation  should  be 
proud  to  emblazon  it  as  a  type  of  man- 
hood and  noble  citizenship,  a  very  sea- 
mark of  lofty  examole.  Humanity  at 
large  is  honored  by  such  a  character.and 
men  simply  prove  their  own  worth  by 
the  heartiest  recognition.  Had  he  sought 
the  distinction  for  himself — to  be  writ- 
ten down  to  coming  ages  as  "one  who 
loved  his  fellow  man"  it  would  have 
been  a  natural,  a  pardonable,  nay  even  a 
laudable  ambition.  That  he  did  not,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  of  Ambas- 
sador White,  but  was  willing  to  obscure 
his  own  part  in  the  enterprise  with 
thoughts  solely  for  the  welfare  of  others 
and  with  no  concern  for  his  own  tame, 
places  him  among  the  rarest  spirits  of 
the  human  race  and  makes  it  the  more 
incumbent  upon  us,  not  to  permit  the 
mdmory  of  such  a  character  to  perish. 

It  ought  to  stand  as  a  perpetual  provo- 
cative to  inquiry  ever  renewed  as  the 
successive  generations  ot  youth  come 
here  to  enjoy  the  generous  fruitage  of 
his  great  labors,  that  they  may  be  an- 
swered with  the  story  of  his  life  and 
aroused  by  the  example  of  his  energy.his 
resoluteness,  bis  foresight,  his  unselfish- 
ness. 

SIMPLE    AND     TENDER. 

Another  phase  of  Mr.  Oornell's  char- 
acter, quite  in  contrast  with  the  grim 
earnestness  and  endurance  by  which  he 
accomplished  the  great  features  of  his 
noble  life  work,  was  his  simplicity  and 
tenderness  of  feeling.  Especially  were 
those   modest  graces  exhibited   in   the 


presence  of  those  upon  whom  fortune 
had  frowned.  None  were  too  bumble  to 
seek  his  charitable  presence  and  never 
did  the  worthy  unfortunate  fail  to  re- 
ceive his  kindly  and  sympathetic  consid- 
eration. His  personal  attention  in  pro- 
viding for  the  families  of  the  volunteer 
soldiers  in  the  days  of  the  cruel  war  was 
the  subject  of  the  deepest  gratitude  from 
those  upon  whom  the  burden  of  patriot- 
ism was  so  heavily  laid. 

Apropos  of  the  civil  war  and  only  per- 
tinent to  the  purpose  of  today's  reminis- 
cences by  reason  of  Mr.  Oornell's  sympa- 
thy and  interest  and  patriotic  work  in 
that  connection.  I  may  be  permitted  as  a 
participant  in  it  and  an  old  soldier  to  re- 
call to  you  young  gentlemen  something 
of  its  gigantic  proportions  and  the  un- 
precedented number  of  men  it  brought 
into  the  field.  The  number  of  Union 
soldiers  enlisted  under  the  call  for  troops 
including  re-enlistments  were  2,573,000, 
of  there  were  2,000,000  enlisted  for 
three  years,  427,000  for  one  and  two 
hears,  and  the  balance  for  a  shorter  per- 
iod. Put  in  another  form  there  were 
1,765  regiments  of  Infantry,  270  regi- 
ments of  Oavalry,  more  than  900  batter- 
ies of  artillery  and  671  ships  of  all  kinds 
manned  by  about  134,000  men.  Of  these, 
864,116  are  known  to  have  died  from 
wounds  and  disease  and  they  do  not  in- 
clude those  who  perished  in  rebel  pens 
nor  those  lying  in  unknown  graves  con- 
servatively estimated  at  150,000.  The 
records  show  there  were  5,825,000  entries 
at  the  hospitals  during  tJie  war.  These  fig- 
ures provpi  the  great  severity  of  the  strug- 
gle and  the  enormous  drain  on  the 
strength  of  those  engaged,  and  gives  no 
figures  of  the  other  side.  The  war  for 
the  preservation  of  the  Union  contains  a 
record  of  patriotism,  courage,  self  sacri- 
fice and  devotion  to  duty  found  nowhere 
else  in  the  annals  of  mankind.  It  is 
gratifying  to  record  Ezra  Cornell's  sym- 
pathetic work  for    it  and  permissible  to 


8 


note  today  these  statistics  here  in  tnis 
armory  with  the  pleasure  of  a  veteran 
at  sight  of  the  cadets  of  Cornell's  fine 
battalion  of  infantry  showing  that  prac- 
.  tice  and  information  of  the  military  art 
is  part  of  the  work  of  Oornell  and  that 
you  will,  many  of  you,  be  quite  ready 
and  instructed  for  support  aud  defense 
of  the  flag  and  the  country  at  a  mo- 
ment's call. 

THOUGHT   AND  ACTION. 

Many  stones  of  rare  interest  are  relat- 
ed of  the  kindly  attention  of  the  great 
Founder  to  the  humble  and  almost  friend- 
less students  who  ambitiously  sought  the 
University  in  its  earlier  years.  Men 
who  have  since  achieved  renown  in  con- 
sequence of  their  ability  to  continue  and 
succeed  in  this  great  seat  of  learning 
were  indebted  to  his  personal  considera- 
tion for  the  means  to  persevere  in  their 
efforts.  His  sympathies  were  bonndless 
and  his  counsel  and  advice  could  never 
be  sought  in  vain. 

Two  distinct  efforts  are  necessary  to 
the  accomplishment  of  such  a  work  as 
Ezra  Oornell's  and  in  fact  to  any  great 
good  for  mankind, — thought  and  action. 
It  is  not  always  given  to  one  individual  to 
have  the  genius  and  energy  to  make 
both  efforts.  Ezra  Oornell  had  both  in 
a  marked  degree.  He  was  a  profound 
thinker.  How  well  and  how  carefully 
he  thought  out  his  work  before  he  be- 
gan it — is  pretty  clearly  set  forth  in  the 
addreS'^es  of  Ambassador  White,  Judge 
Finch,  Colonel  Shaw  and  others  made 
here. 

Add  to  the  forethought,  the  energy, 
the  perseverance  and  the  patience  of 
Ezra  Cornell— crowned  with  his  un- 
bounded generosity  and  consideration 
for  his  fellow  m^n  and  we  unite  elements 
of  character  and  nature  that  make  the 
grandest  and  most  elevated  type  of  hu- 
manity. May  we  not  stndy  out  for  our- 
selves   some  of  h1f»  unwritten  thought 


and  what  he  foresaw.  Should  not  you 
who  are  trained  in  this  school  do  so  and 
by  every  effort  of  your  life  join  in  the 
work  and  purpose  of  the  Founder? 

He  discerned  the  needs  of  the  future. 
Ezra  Cornell  looked  far  into  coming  time 
in  founding  this  noble  University.  His 
large  experience  in  the  affairs  of  life 
taught  him,  that  the  only  safety  for  Re- 
publican government  was  to  be  found  in 
the  general  loyalty  and  wisdom  of  our 
whole  people. 

His  was  a  large  monld  in  which  man- 
hood was  cast.  He  saw  with  the  vision 
of  a  prophet  what  alarming  dangers  were 
coming  into  view  threatening  the  very 
life  of  our  nation.  And  so  he  went  in  his 
great  way  about  planning  adequate  safe- 
guards for  the  youth  of  our  whole  coun- 
try. 

He  founded  this  University  on  lines  of 
equality  to  all  creeds,  sections  and  con- 
ditions of  young  men  and  women.  It  is 
as  wide  as  the  world  in  its  invitation  for 
aspiring  youth  to  come  and  satisfy  them- 
selves with  the  wealth  of  knowledge 
here  placed  within  their  reach.  He  knew 
full  well  what  hatred  and  sectionalism 
had  wrought  in  blood  and  agony,  in  the 
great  rebellion  ;  and  with  masterly  fore- 
thought here  laid  the  foundations  of  a 
safe  educational  system,  based  upon  con- 
ditions of  common  interest  to  all  our  peo- 
ple. 

Here  we  find  no  narrow  circles  teach- 
ing sectional  ideas ;  but  one  broad  plane 
of  education  worthy  of  every  son  and 
daughter  of  our  Union. 

And  this  is  the  need  of  the  future.  He 
had  faith  in  the  reign  of  the  common 
neople ;  and  his  heart  beat  in  full  sym- 
pathy with  the  idea  that  a  good  educa- 
tion was  the  best  capital  with  which  to 
start  in  the  battle  of  life 

In  founding  a  library  for  Ithaca,  and 
in  founding  this  great  University  later 
on,  Ezra  Oornell  rose  from  high  to  higher 


in  his  ambition  to  make  large  provision 
for  the  development  of  a  full  rounded 
manhood  and  womanhood. 

THE  NEEDS  OF  OUR  TIME. 

The  needs  of  our  time  call  for  many- 
sided  men  and  women, — fitted  to  resist 
the  special  temptations  and  dangers 
which  beset  our  fast  age, — with  the  privi- 
leges and  aids  of  Cornell  University, 
such  representative  friends  of  true 
mental  and  moral  culture  can  be  gradu- 
ated here. 

It  was  Baron  Von  Humboldt  who  wise- 
ly declared  that  "Whatsoever  we  wish 
to  see  introduced  into  the  life  of  a  nation 
must  first  be  introduced  into  its  schools," 
and  this  is  a  view  which  inspired  the 
founder  to  devote  his  later  years  to  rear- 
ing this  monument  incidentally  to  his 
memory,  but  primarily  for  the  safety  of 
the  nation.  What  a  splendid  vision  of 
the  future  filled  his  soul,  when  he  had 
fully  developed  his  ideas  of  what  this 
spot  should  stand  for,  in  future  years  ! 
The  response  of  his  prophet  like  call, 
within  a  single  generation  has  been 
wonderful.  The  attendance  at  present, 
representing  all  our  states,  and  the  lead- 
ing countries  of  the  world,  proves  how 
wide  is  the  fame  of  this  young  University 
— whose  life  is  yet  measured  only  by  de- 
cades. The  founder  filled  the  poet's 
picture  and  estimate  of  true  nobility : 

"Wbo'er  amidst  the  sons 
Of  reason,  valor,  liberty,  and  virtue. 
Displays  distinguished  uierit,  is  a  noble 
Of  nature's  own  creating!" 

and  his  example  is  one  that  will  point 
the  way  to  successive  benefactions  from 
philanthropic  Americans,  who,  seeing 
the  true  glory  of  his  deeds,  will  emulate 
them  in  other  places  for  the  benefit  of 
the  yOQth  of  our  land.  Already  he  has 
called  forth  generous  supporters  to  en- 
large his  work  here. 

After  all,  no  monument  endures  like 
the  sentiments  of  justice  and  righteous- 
ness in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men  and 


women.  Here  on  these  commanding 
heights  is  the  battle  ground  for  the 
noblest  victories  youth  can  win.  Culture 
here  opens  wide  her  portals  and  bids  all 
to  enter  who  haye  the  inspirations  of  a 
larger  view  of  life  urging  them  forward 
to  brave  deeds  and  worthy  ambitions. 

In  view  of  the  great  life  and  services 
of  the  founder  of  this  Uniyersity,  at 
once  so  progressive  and  so  promising 
along  all  lines  of  high  culture  and  safe 
development,  1  urge  the  discipline  of  the 
loftiest  patriotic  sentiments,  to  the  end 
that  the  youth  who  go  forth  from  these 
halls  of  learning  may  be  four  square  to 
all  the  needs  and  duties  of  loyal  Ameri- 
cans, and  the  noblest  Christian  citizen- 
ship. Ezra  Cornell  rose,  along  the  prac- 
tical avenues  of  American  possibilities 
through  the  exercise  of  honest  toil,  un- 
swerving integrity,  heroic  endeavor,and 
large  practical  views  of  the  glorious 
heritage  of  American  citizenship.  He 
worked  his  own  way  along  the  rugged 
road  of  poyerty  into  the  bright  avenue  of 
well  won  wealth ;  and  then  he  grandly 
builded  of  his  own  fortune  this  splendid 
temple  of  learning  as  a  monument  to  his 
genius  and  philanthropy,  and  a  bles^ng 
to  gpinerations  to  come.  No  grander 
creation  of  one  man  can  be  found  in  the 
wide  sweep  of  the  globe,  than  the  beau- 
tiful group  of  buildings  which  cluster  on 
this  glorious  campus,  the  fruit  of  the 
founder's  inspiration  and  example  com- 
municated to  and  working  in  able  sup- 
porters and  successors.  Nature  seems  to 
have  been  in  touch  with  the  spirit  of  the 
great  founder,  for  here,  as  in  few  other 
places,  there  is  united  a  variety  of  natu- 
ral splendors  of  hill,  valley  and  lake, 
shifting  in  beauty  with  all  kaleidoscopic 
changes  of  the  seasons.  Here  has  risen 
to  meet  the  demands,  group  after  group 
of  needed  educational  buildings,  until  a 
rival  of  the  oldest  universities  of  the  old 
world  stands  forth,  able  to  cope  with 
every  phase  of  learning  in  other  lands. 


lO 


and  yet,  only,  in  its  infancy.  Here 
"Peace  hath  her  victories  no  lees  re- 
nowned than  war."  Here  the  youth  of 
formerly  hostile  sections  can  mingle  in  a 
common  unity, without  bitternpss  and  in 
enjoyment  of  a  common  birthright.  The 
Pariran  and  the  cavalier  are  here  merged 
into  the  happy  American.  Here  the  sons 
of  Union  veterans  and  the  eons  of  Con- 
federate veterans  can  join  bands  in  loy- 
alty to  a  common  valor,  and  thank  God 
both  are  now  heirs  to  one  flag,  one  coun- 
try and  one  free  civilization.  This  Uni- 
versity seemed  to  rise  triumphant  after 
sectional  differences  had  been  settled  by 
fire  and  blood,  and  a  new  opportunity 
was  presented  for  American  youth  to  be- 
cocne  worthy  workers  under  the  new- 
born privileges  and  enlarged  bounds  of 
freedom  on  our  soil. 

As  a  soldier  of  the  Union  in  the  past  war 
era,  I  plead  for  broad  views  of  our  pres- 
ent new  birth  of  freedom.  Our  battles  are 
over,  and  the  issues  so  stupendous  at  the 
time,  have  been  forever  settled.  Braver 
men  never  fought  or  fell  than  those  who 
contended  for  ideals  dear  to  each  sec- 
tion, and  when  the  war  closed,  the  Un- 
ion became  the  common  heritage  of  a 
whole  re- united  and  great  people. 

TWO  FACTORS    NECESSARY. 

There  are  two  factors  absolutely  nec- 
essary to  the  thorough  success  of  a  great 
educational  institution.— One, — Money 
in  abundance  to  provide  what  manufac- 
turers and  business  men  would  call  the 
plant,  that  is  all  the  college  buildings 
and  grounds,  the  library,  the  various  ap- 
paratus and  instruments  connected  with 
education,  all  of  which  are  found  here 
at  Cornell.  Another, — An  executive 
head  or  chief  with  a  faculty  fitted  by 
culture  and  natural  endowments  to  carry 
on  the  work.  To  realize  how  thoroughly 
this  provision  was  made  by  your  foun- 
der read  with  care  and  study  the  address 
of  Andrew  D.  White,  the  first  president 


of  Cornell,  now  so  ably  representing  our 
country  at  the  German  court  in  Berlin. 
This  address  was  delivered  here  on  foun- 
der's day,  1890.  It  gives  a  complete  de- 
scription of  Ezra  Cornell's  work  from  the 
commencement  of  his  efforts  to  found 
this  institution.  If  every  student  here 
has  not  read  it,  he  should  do  so,  with 
those  of  Judge  Finch  and  Albert 
Shaw  not  only  once  but 
a  second  and  a  third  time.  It 
portrays  between  the  lines  the  wonder- 
ful judgment  of  men  possessed  by  the 
founder  and  leaves  the  indelible  im- 
pression that  his  effort  was 
not  to  follow  in  the  rut 
of  any  existing  institution  but  to  ac- 
complish the  greatest  amount  of  possible 
good  and  efficient  work  in  the  line  of 
education  for  the  benefit  of  his  fellow- 
men,  and  doing  it  as  he  did  in  American 
fashion  of  going  directly  at  and  reaching 
out  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  pur- 
pose. 

Let  me  illustrate  this  trait  of  Ameri- 
can character  of  going  directly  and 
quickly  at  the  purpose,  by  an  incident 
of  the  war. 

After  we  had  carried  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, in  the  battle  above  the  clouds,  the 
command  which  I  served  with  were  or- 
dered to  proceed  across  the  Jbookout  Val- 
ley early  next  morning  and  attack  the 
enemy's  left  on  Mission  Ridge,  in  front 
of  Chattanooga.  Ponton  bridges  were 
ordered  to  be  at  a  cro.ssing  of  the  creek 
in  the  valley  at  an  early  hour.  They 
were  not  there  to  meet  us ;  the  stream 
was  like  a  southern  bayou  stream,  9  or 
10  feet  deep,  steep  vertical  banks  of  soft 
earth,  no  possibility  of  crossing,  horse  or 
man,  without  a  bridge,  owing  to  the 
character  of  the  banks. 

Our  movement  was  urgent  and  exhi- 
biting great  impatience  and  much 
temper  at  the  failure  of  the 
ponton  train  to  arrive,  I  was  ap- 
proached by  one  of  our  western  volan- 


II 


teers  with  the  inquiry,  "General,  do  you 
want  to  get  some  men  across  that 
stream?  If  you  do  I  can  get  a  regiment 
over  in  20  minutes."  This  statement 
astonished  me.  1  had  no  experience  as 
woodsman,  brought  up  in  a  city  and 
with  my  education  or  that  part  of  it  in 
engineering,  I  knew  of  noway  to  cross 
such  a  stream  without  bridges  or  boats. 
"You  are  my  man,"  was  my  reply. 
"Wbat  do  you  want  to  do  it  with?"  The 
answer  was  "half  a  dozen 
axes  and  some  of  my  regiment  to  use 
them."  These  were  instantly  at  hand 
and  in  fifteen  minutes  the  men  had 
felled  a  tall  and  large  tree  on  the  bank 
of  the  stream  so  it  fell  across  it  and  the 
top  lodged  on  the  opposite  side — a  few 
cuts  with  the  axes  cut  away  limbs  pro- 
jecting on  the  end  and  across  the  stream 
and  a  regiment  went  flying  over  in  sin- 
gle file  followed  by  an  other  before  the 
bridges  came,  greatly  to  our  advance- 
ment in  time  and  movement. 

I  have  never  since  that  failed  to  listen 
to  any  suggestion  from  any  American 
how  to  accomplish  an  immediate  and 
difficult  work. 

This  American  trait  Ezra  Cornell  had 
when  he  built  his  first  wooden  house 
with  no  knowledge  of  carpentry  and 
built  the  Beebe  tunnel  with  no  know- 
lege  of  engineering,  had  he  waited  to 
learn  these  arts  he  may  never  have  ac- 
complished either.  Don't  forget  young 
gentlemen  his  example — drive  direct  at  it 
with  vigor  and  every  resource  you  can 
think  of,  when  yon  have  an  urgent  task 
to  perform .     (Cheers . ) 

His  success  has  brought  a  situation 
which  led  one  of  the  best  of  American 
authorities  on  education  to  say  to  me 
with  much  emphasis : 

"The  American  university  has  come  to 
stay."  In  the  early  college  days  I  have 
alluded  to,  we  never  heard  much  of  uni- 
versities— it  was  colleges— Yale  College, 
Harvard    College,     Columbia    College, 


Princeton  College,  Union  College,  etc — 
the  word  "University"  was  neither 
spoken  or  thought  of  by  students  in  con- 
nection with  any  American  institution, 
as  to  England,  we  spoke  of  Cambridge 
and  Oxford  as  colleges.  Bonn  enjoyed 
the  dignity  of  the  title  of  a  university ; 
of  those  of  other  countries  we  heard  lit- 
tle and  knew  less. 

It  must  then  have  been  an  inspiration 
that  combined  with  Ezra  Cornell's  gen- 
ins  and  character  of  the  peculiarly 
American  type  when  he  announced  his 
purpose  and  desire  in  the  sententious 
description  that  the  seal  of  Cornell  car- 
ries: 

"  I  WOULD  FOUND  AN  INSTITUTION 
WHERE  ANY  PERSON  CAN  FIND  INSTRUC- 
TION  IN   ANY   STUDY." 

Further  illustration  of  his  concise 
method  of  thought  and  expression  his 
character  as  a  deep  and  earnest  thinker 
as  well  as  his  nature  is  at  hand  and  of 
record  in  his  noble  words  Oct.  7,  1868, 
when  this  University  was  founded.  It 
proves  how  thoroughly  from  the  moment 
he  conceived  it.  The  idea  of  the  Uni- 
versity became  entwined  with  his  very 
life — it  shows  that  this  man  of  gentle  ex- 
terior but  iron  resolve  had  fully  thought 
out  and  determined  how  to  place  it  in 
the  power  of  any  person  to  acquire  a 
thorough  education. 

As  there  had  been  nothing  half  hearted 
in  his  labors— so  there  was  nothing  half 
hearted  in  his  noble  philanthropy. 

FOREIGN  OPINION. 

The  opinion  of  competent  foreign 
critics  of  his  broad  foundation  and  grand 
purpose  here  may  be  thoroughly  realized 
by  an  incident  that  occurred  between 
distinguished  men  whose  work  and 
lines  of  thought  run  in  the  direc- 
tion of  education.  Visiting  the 
Bibliotheque  Nation  ale  in  connection 
with  some  researches  for  records  of  the 
discovery  of  America,  I  had  to  obtain 


12 


special  permission  for  access  to  the  most 
valuable  manuicripts,  made  before  the 
days  of  printing,  in  that  great  library,  I 
was  shown  into  the  jealously  guarded 
and  securely  constructed  apartment  that 
held  these  treasures.  Whom  should  I 
meet  there  but  Hon  Melvil  Dewey,  the 
secretary  of  the  University  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  a  thorough  and  efficient 
worker  with  his  heart  and  life  bound  np 
in  the  subiect  of  education.  There  was 
a  mutual  surprise  in  our  mettiug  and  it 
resulted  in  a  long  conversation  after- 
wards m  which  the  subject  of  Oornell 
University  came  up. 

He  told  me  of  a  recent  dinner  at  the 
National  Libf-ral  Olub  in  London  with 
several  Cambridge  and  Oxford  Univer- 
sity men,  among  them  Prof.  Richard  G. 
Moulton,who  had  been  making  a  tour  of 
the  United  States.  Mr.  Dewey  hap- 
pened to  ams.  the  recent  visitor  to  our 
country  what  most  astonished  him 
or  what  was  the  greatest  wonder 
found  in  his  travels  in  the  United 
States ;  and  supposed  of  course  that  it 
would  be  Niagara  Falls,  the  Yellowstone 
Park  and  its  canons  the  capitol  at  Wash- 
ington, New  York,  Chicago  or  some  of 
our  great  cities  of  such  rapid  growth, but 
he  was  startled  by  the  reply  .substantially 
in  these  words : 

''When  I  walked  over  the  campus  of 
Oornell  University,  stndi^^d  its  work- 
ings, admired  its  buildings  — its 
scenery  and  surround ii*gs,  it  was  to  me 
the  greatest  wonder  of  America  to  think 
it  had  grown  into  such  proportions  and 
strength  for  its  work,  in  a  single  quarter 
of  a  century,  reaching  the  plane  which 
the  universities  of  the  old  world  had  re- 
quired so  many  centuries  to  gain." 

This  incident  seems  to  me  a  more  con- 
densed and  thorough  appreciation  of  the 
great  work  of  Ezra  Oornell  than  it  is 
possible  for  me  to  express.  And  yet  I  am 
constrained  to  add  a  few  words  only  of 


my  own,  by  way  of  summary  and  brief 
exhortation. 

TWO    RA.RE    QUALITIES 

I  do  not  desire  to  indulge  in  any  hyper- 
bolic praise,  but  I  think  I  am  within  the 
lines  of  modest  truth  when  I  attribute  to 
Ezra  Cornell  two  rare  qualities  of  suc- 
cessful manhood : 

First — The  readiness  to  undertake  en- 
terprises calling  for  unusual  confidence 
in  yet  untried  powers, — a  self-reliance 
that  challenged  him  to  nut  forth  his  ut- 
most skill,  and  that  was  shown  to  be 
warranted  by  the  sucess  of  the  event. 

Second— A  keen  foresight  of  remote 
advantage  which  led  him  to  espouse  great 
causes  in  the  days  when  they  were  de- 
spised, and  to  stake  his  fame  and  fortune 
upon  their  final  triumph.  Primary  ex- 
amples of  these  qualities  are  to  be  found 
in  the  building  of  the  DeRuyter  house 
without  any  knowledge  of  the 
mystery  of  carpentry,  the  con- 
ception and  construction  of  the  Beebe 
tur  nel  without  any  knowledge  of  the 
art  of  the  civil  engineer,  and 
the  dropping  of  the  plough  to  direct  the 
pioneer  work  that  established  the  newly 
invented  toy  telegraph  in  its  sphere  as  a 
mighty  factor  in  American  civilization. 
It  may  seem  us  if  he  were  running  count- 
er to  that  precept  which  enjoins  the  man 
who  has  once  put  his  hands  to  the  plough 
not  to  turn  back.  But  second  and  deep- 
er thought  will  show  that  he  did  not 
turn  back.  He  dropped  the  handles  of 
the  plough  that  merely  turned  up  the 
soil  for  the  time  honored  crop  of  vege- 
tables and  took  firm  guiding  grasp  of 
one  that  cut  the  deep  and  lasting  furrow 
for  the  lightning  to  travel  in  as  a  min- 
istering spirit, and  that  broke  the  ground 
for  that  beneficent  agency  known  as 
Cornell  University.  I  could  name  you 
men  of  my  own  generation,  renowned 
for  a  brief  time  for  dazzling  business 
achievements  whose  memories  are  fast 
fading   from  human  recollection,    and 


13 


whose  influence  is  no  longer  felt.  Their 
great  enterprises  have  failed  for  want  of 
a  directing  genius,  or  bear  the  title  of  a 
stranger ;  their  property  is  consumed  or 
scattered.  They  had  their  little  day  and 
it  has  passed  forever,  while  in  the  case 
of  Ezra  Cornell  a  high  and  a  holy  re- 
solve has  given  "an  empire  without  an 
end."  For  as  a  great  man  :  he  was  good 
and  as  a  good  man,  he  is  forever  great. 
And  it  is  to  this  imperishable  quality  of 
goodness  that  preserves  greatness  and 
renders  it  perennially  fruitful,  world 
without  end,  that  I  would  chiefly  direct 
your  attention,  young  gentlemen,  today. 
Ezra  Cornell  was  a  true  humanitarian,  of 
the  class  that  deserve  to  stand  high  in  the 
affairs  of  the  nation  and  in  the  reverence 
of  the  world.  He  might,  as  so  many 
have  done  have  sought  only  a  brilliant 
personal  success,  involving  benefit  sim- 
ply to  himself  and  his  immediate  heirs. 
But  he  chose  instead  to  make  American 
youth  his  perpetual  beneficiaries.  It  is 
desirable  that  such  ambition  as  his 
should  be  gratified  and  exalted 
as  perpetuating  an  important 
and  inspiring  lesson  as  to  the  privilege 
of  wealth  and  its  high  uses.  The  de- 
mand for  the  reason  for  the  name  of  this 
University  is  a  conBtan*;ly  recurring  op- 
portunity for  a  reminder  of  the  unselfish 
application  of  genius  and  wealth ;  of  the 
possibility  of  such  a  voluntary  sharing 
of  the  strong  with  the  weak,  as  shall  dis- 
arm envy  and  promote  a  true  socialism ; 
as  shall  furnish  to  the  youth  an  addition- 
al incentive  to  call  forth  his  supreme  en- 
ergies for  the  sake  of  others  instead  of 
pausing  in  self  content,  or  hoarding  in  ab- 
ject miserliness.  Such  a  life  may  even 
be  regarded  as  a  vindication  of  inequal- 
ity, as  part  of  the  scheme  of  Providence 
to  call  out  the  full  resources  of  a  gifted 
nature,  and  to  reward  it  with  the  joy  of 
an  immortality  of  benefaction.  Like  be- 
gets like  and  Ezra  Cornell's  example  has 
already  called  forth  supporters  of  the 


same  high  spirit,  to  forward  the  expan- 
sion of  the  University. 

All  honor  to  the  Sages,  the  Sibleys,the 
McGraws,  White,  Payerweather  and 
other  like  noble  natures,  who  added  to 
Ezra  Cornell's  great  work  and  princely 
gifts. 

The  keynote  of  the  thought  and  action 
of  Ezra  Cornell,  after  he  had  obtained 
■^ealth  by  untiring,  persistent  industry, 
close  economy  and  far-seeing  wisdom 
was  his  desire  to  use  that  wealth  in  pro- 
viding a  perennial  source  of  knowledge, 
open  to  and  within  reach  of  the  accep- 
tance of  every  person  who  would  earn- 
estly seek  for  knowledge. 

Other  benefactors  of  our  English  speak- 
ing people  have  contributed  to  the  es- 
tablishment of  institutions  of  learning; 
learned,  pious,  earnest  men  have  solicit- 
ed the  aid  of  kings  and  counsellors  to 
establish  great  seats  of  learning  in  Eng- 
land and  America,  which  during  a  slow 
and  sometimes  precarious  growth  of  from 
three  to  six  hundred  years,  have  sent 
forth  scholars  and  scientists  and  states- 
men, whose  actions  are  part  of  the  his- 
tories of  England  and  America,  and  aft- 
er all  these  years  of  growth,  those  uni- 
versities have  only  recently  attained 
their  independence,throngh  the  gifts  and 
legacies  of  friends  continued  during  all 
these  years.  While  here,  within  the 
memory  of  every  adult  person  m  this  au- 
dience, has  been  founded,  equipped,  es- 
tablished and  endowed  by  the  benefi- 
cient  action  of  Ezra  Cornell,  the  self- 
taught  mechanic,  the  wise  business  man, 
an  university,  the  equal  of  any  and  su- 
prior  of  most  of  like  institutions  in  the 
world.  What  a  vast  difference  between 
this  and  the  little  country  school  house 
in  which  that  "poor  young  man,"  Ezra 
Cornell,  graduated  after  an  additional 
winter's  schooling,  obtained  at  the  price 
of  clearing  four  acres  of  land  covered 
with  a  heavy  beech  wood  forest. 


>f: 


14 


Did  Ezra  Cornell  find  the  motive  of 
his  action  in  the  thought  that  the  Uni- 
versity he  proposed  to  establish  would 
be  an  eternal  monument  to  himself,  as 
it  undoubtedly  will  be?  1  doubt  if  such 
a  thought  ever  had  the  least  influence  in 
determining  his  action.  There  wasbef(>re 
him,  innate  in  every  fibre  of  his  soul,  in- 
tensified by  bis  own  struggles  and  experi- 
ence, one  great  absorbing  thought  What 
can  I  do  to  help  the  helpers,  to  educate 
the  aspiring,  to  encourage  the  f=truggl- 
ing  ambitions  poor,  who  seek  by  the  at- 
tainment of  knowledge  to  benefit  them- 
selves and  others.  It  appears  as  if  he 
sank  out  or  sight  intuitively  all  selfish 
feeling  or  desire,  if  any  ever  existed,  in 
tne  presence  of  the  great  passion,  to 
benefit  the  coming  generations  of  youth, 
by  affording  them  access  to  instruction 
in  every  branch  of  human  knowledge. 
One  intimately  associated  with  him  dur- 
ing the  prosecution  of  this,  the  greatest 
work  of  his  life,  writes,  "I  feel  bound  to 
say  that  I  have  never  known  a  man 
more  entirely  unselfish.  I  have  seen  him 
when  his  wealth  was  counted  in  mil- 
lions, devote  it  so  generously  to  univer- 
sity objects,  that  he  felt  it  necessary 
to  stint  himself  in  some  matters 
of  personal  comfort.  When  urged  to 
sell  a  portion  of  the  university  lands  at 
a  sacrifice  in  order  to  better  our  founda- 
tion, he  answered  in  substance,  "don't 
let  us  do  that  yet,  I  will  wear  my  old 
hat  and  coat  a  little  longer,  and  let  you 
have  a  little  more  money  from  my  own 
I)Ocket."     Such  was  his  self-denial. 

His  religion  seemed  to  take  shape  in  a 
constant  desire  to  improye  the  condition 
of  his  fellow  men.  He  was  never  sur- 
prised or  troubled  by  anything  which 
any  other  human  being  believed,  or  did 
not  believe.  Of  intolerance,  he  was  ut- 
terly incapable.  A  verse  of  the  Uni- 
versal Frayer  was  a  favorite  quotation, 

•That  mercy  I  to  others  show. 
That  mercy,  show  to  me.* 


He  sought  no  reputation  as  a  philan- 
thropist, cared  little  for  approval,  and 
nothing  for  applause,  but  I  can  say  of 
him,  without  reserye,  that  during  all 
tnese  years  I  knew  him,  he  went  about 
doing  good." 

Standing  today  in  the  presence  of 
these  classic  and  palatial  halls  of  learn- 
ing, we  look  around  in  vain  for  any  at- 
tempt to  impress  or  burden  "any  per- 
son," who  may  seek  knowledge  at  these 
sources,  with  his  personal  beliefs  or  re- 
ligious opinions,  or  with  anything  that 
will  make  prominent  his  own  opinions 
or  maxims  of  life.  But  if  we  seek  a  sign 
and  look  over  the  door  of  his  private  res- 
idence, we  read  a  brief,  significant  and 
notable  motto,  modestly  carved  in  the 
solid  capstone  over  the  principal  en- 
trance, which  to  every  Oornell  student, 
will  be  a  cherished  remembrance,  an  ad- 
monition, and  an  inspiration.  A  student 
of  Oornell  will  need  seek  no  other  her- 
aldic device  with  which  to  emblazon 
shield  or  coat  of  arms,  other  than  the  se- 
verely simple  motto,  "True  and  firm  " 

The  moral  culture  of  students  reared 
under  the  inflaence  of  such  ideas  and  ex- 
ample is  a  great  and  constant  addition 
to  the  forces  thut  enoble  American  civil- 
ization. Such  a  career  involves  practical 
religion,  a  life  stimulated  and  permeated 
in  thought  and  act  with  a  divine  spirit, 
so  fully  that  there  is  left  no  time  to  for- 
mulate a  creed,  time  only  to  exhibit  a 
noble  one  in  action. 

"My  voice  is  in  my  sword"  declared 
the  resolute  MacDuflf  as  he  faced  the 
tyrant  of  Scotland.  "My  thought  is  my 
deed"  might  have  been  the  parallel  utter- 
ances of  Ezra  Oornell,  and  to  it  we  can 
certainly  add  with  pride  and  gratitude 
today, — "and  here  stands  the  deed 
founded  on  a  rock,  embodied  in  strength 
and  beauty,  thrilling  with  mighty,  grow- 
ing deathless  power."  "True  and  Firm ; 
True  and  Firm." {Great  applause.) 


